Summerchase community asking HOA, 'Where's the money going?'

Several residents of the Summerchase community are wondering how their HOA dues are being spent. (WRDW-TV)

News 12 First at Five / Monday, Feb. 11, 2013

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW) -- Some people living in the quiet Summerchase community in Augusta have started asking their homeowners association a few questions about the finances.

"Where's the money?" is the question on Ed Batey's mind.

Batey is one of several people living in the Summerchase community, wondering how his housing association dues are being spent.

"As a homeowner, if I ask the board or the finance committee how much money do we have, I want to know," Batey said.

And, he isn't alone. The former HOA president of Summerchase, Dr. Louis Gangarosa, has some concerns, too.

"I don't like the idea that we can't get an audit. I don't ever remember an audit being done since I moved in," he said.

After several requests for an external audit, the current treasurer resigned.

"Something just doesn't smell right," Batey said.

The nearly 70 homes in the community are each required to pay about $1,000 a year in dues, but Batey says he doesn't see where all of that money is going, saying, "Things are not being done in a timely manner."

He says a wall fell down about six months ago and the repairs still haven't happened.

The crumbled wall has caused a lot of headache for homeowners like Gangarosa, who says, "We had several inches of water come in and soak the carpet."

And as they continue to wait for repairs, audits and answers, their trust is growing thin.

"I know for a fact people can get away with a lot of things. As long as the 'I' is dotted, 'T' is crossed and two and two comes to four," Batey said.

We spoke with the president of the housing association, who says they are in the process of transitioning to a new board of directors, but he is making sure the new board puts the audit at the top of their to-do list. He says they also have elected a new treasurer. We tried to get in touch with the former treasurer, but we have not heard back yet.

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Laura's love for broadcast news started when she was 15 years old. She was active in the 4-H Club and chose communications as her project area. She decided to start her own local television show that aired weekly to 16 counties in southwest Georgia.